Improvement in hand branding-stamps



UNITED STATES' PATENT' OFFICE.

HORACE WICKHAM, JR., OF WAUKEGAN, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO HENRYP. CALDWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAND BRANDING-STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,418, dated February19, 1878 application filed April 1o, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE WICKHAM, Jr., of Waukegan, Lake county, Stateof Illinois, have invented. a Hand BrandingStamp, of which thefollowingis a specification:

The object of my invention is to produce a hand branding-stamp orbranding-iron that can practically be made use of by the differentgovernments to eectually cancel any kind of postage or revenue stamp, soas to make their reuse impossible.

There arev several other uses to which this hand-stamp can be applied,among which I may mention the use by bankers and others, to prevent theraising of checks, by railroads to date tickets, 85o., by cigar-manufacturers to brand cigar-boxes, and any of the uses to which abranding-stamp or branding- 'iron can and may be applied.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of theinvention. Fig. 2is a sectional view of the stamp divided lengthwisethrough the center. Fig. 3 is the cap B. Fig. 4 is a type enlarged.

The following is a true and exact description of' my hand brandingstamp,and a mode of making and using the same.

In the drawing, H is a handle, to be made of any good non-conductor ofheat. To said handle H is connected a metal base, K, by means of a pin,I, (or by any other suitable means,) whereby a slight play is given tothe skeleton base K, so that it can adjust itself to a surface if it isnot brought squarely down.

B is a metal cap screwed (or otherwise attached) to the skeleton base K,and holds the hard metal types A A in an upright position upon thebase-plate D. The plate D is supported by resting upon the skeleton baseK.

The types A A A have a flange on both sides, to prevent them fromfalling out through the slots n n n in the cap B. The cap B has one ormore slots, n n n, straight across its face, (or they maybe curved,circular, or otherwise, as may be desired,) through which the types A AA project, so as to be ilush with the raised border L, which is aroundand upon the face of the cap B. Y

A pipe, C, passes through the handle H, one end of which projects intothe hollowr of the base K, on which end is placed one (or more, ifdesired) burner, J. The other end projects from the upper end of thehandle H, to which end is attached a flexible tube, E, which conducts asupply of gas to the pipe C, which supplies the burner J.

It will readily be seen that a flexible tube is one of the essentialfeatures of my invention, Y

for without it my hand-stamp would prove im practicable. With aileXibletube ahand branding-stamp or branding -iron can be turned, moved upwardor downward. In fact, it can be used in any direction desired orrequired.

A reservoir to receive compressed gas may be attached to this handbranding-stamp or branding-iron, at the end of the tube C marked N inthe drawing, Without a flexible tube; but using a flexible tube with areservoir somewhat removed I consider superior to this mode. My handbranding-stamp can be made in any size or shape desired or required,according to the purpose for which it is designed.

In order to have a perfect combustion of the gas when ignited at theburner J, the base K is to be made in a skeleton form, for the purposeof allowing the greatest possible amount of air to come in contact withthe gas issuing from the burner J, so that a free and imconfinedcombustion of the gas can take place. If the base K is not soconstructed, imperfect combustion takes place, and the desired result isnot obtained.

Operation: The desired name, date, &c., being in their proper position,one end of the iiexible tube is then connected with a supplyfount, (ofgas.) The other is then connected to the end of the tube C. rlhe gasbeing then turned on, the burn er J is then lighted through the skeletonbase K. The flame made by the burner J heats the plate D, by which meansthe heat is communicated to the types A A and cap B, and raised borderL, and to the parts below the handle H. It is then ready for use. To useit, press the face of the stamp against the object to be marked. Upon sodoing a fac-simile of the letters and devices will be scorched or burnedupon or into the object pressed against.

It is obvious that the longer the stamp is held upon the object thedeeper will be the impres- 6l 2. Thecombination ofthe skeleton base K,tube C, flexible tube E, handle H, burner J, cap B, plate D, and types AA, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

HORACE WIOKHAM, JR.

Witnesses E. M. SOLOMON, F. O. CALDWELL.

